Lately it seems that we have been hearing about severe storms, damaging tornados, earthquakes, flooding, or one natural disaster after another. When these events seem to come as often as they have recently, it is understandable to wonder: IS GOD TRYING TO TELL US SOMETHING?... Faith does not promise we will never encounter storms. Faith promises we do not face them alone... So instead of only asking, “Why is God allowing this to happen?”, possibly we should also ask...

A new school year is about to begin, and our streets, sidewalks, schools, and homes become much busier again... Safety is another important part of caring for our communities... The children and young people returning to school are not simply “someone else’s kids.”... The start of a new season in school is an opportunity for all of us to practice what Jesus teaches: LOVE ONE ANOTHER... Sometimes that love looks quite simple - a smile, holding a door, yielding the right of way, or patiently waiting our turn...

Last week, I had the opportunity to take some time away and spend six days with my two brothers, their wives and a couple of good friends... That is why the summer offers us a gift. It reminds us that God created us not only to work, but also to rest. Jesus often withdrew from the crowds to quiet places to pray... Whether it is a week away, an afternoon on the porch, a walk through the park, or simply sitting quietly with the Lord at home or in Church; let yourself be renewed...

I have done some reflection on one of our more recent gospel stories and lessons from Jesus, Growing the Wheat Together. One of the greatest temptations in any community is to focus on the weeds... We bring different traditions, different histories, different ways of doing things, and different expectations. At times it can be tempting to compare, criticize, or become discouraged... Jesus asks us, “What kind of disciples are you becoming?”...

This time of year, usually around this time, I ask myself, where is the summer going? I just heard my first commercial about going back to school, and it’s mid-July!... Summer invites us to enjoy God’s creation, spend time with family and friends, travel, rest, and make memories. Those moments are important. They renew us... With vacations, weekend trips, sporting events, and family gatherings, it is easy for Sunday Mass to be considered optional. Yet the Eucharist is not another item on our schedule...

Today the Catholic Church is facing a significant challenge; the shortage of men entering the seminary and women answering the call to religious life... But there is another question worth asking ourselves. HAVE WE EVER ASKED ANYONE?... For many priests and religious, the first spark of their vocation came because someone asked them... Perhaps the Holy Spirit is calling someone you know, and your invitation might just be the gentle nudge they need to begin asking, “Lord, what do you want me to do with my life?”...

The effort for you to attend Saturday or Sunday weekend Mass matters... Saturday evening or Sunday worship is much more than fulfilling an obligation... The choices we make during the week are shaped by what shapes our hearts... We may not be able to change the entire world, but we can change the atmosphere in our own homes... Children learn what matters by what their parents make a priority... As each weekend approaches, keep making worship your priority...

Happy 4th of July to all! As our nation marks 250 years of independence, we pause to give thanks for the many blessings we enjoy as Americans... As we look across our country today, we see both great promise and significant challenges... At the same time there are signs of hope... Let us try to implement these simple but challenging suggestions for our community’s sake and that of the country as well... Be sure to include our nation in your daily prayers and be an instrument of peace...

Last week three hundred and ten of our Archdiocesan Priests and I spent three and a half days together for our convocation at the Grand Geneva in Wisconsin. One of the conversations that captured our attention was when Cardinal Cupich spoke about the future of our Church in Chicago... The question before us was not “what should we do?” but rather “Where is the Holy Spirit leading us?”... Where is the Holy Spirit Leading us, and how can we walk faithfully into that future?​...

This weekend we celebrate both Juneteenth and Father’s Day while hearing Jesus’ powerful words in the gospel: “Do not be afraid.”... In the Gospel, Jesus encourages his disciples not to be afraid of the difficulties they will encounter. Instead, He reminds them that they are precious in God’s sight: “Even all the hairs on your head are counted.” God’s love gives us the courage to stand for what is right, to speak the truth, and to live as faithful disciples...

June is the time of transitions for priests moving to new assignments... After six years of dedicated service to the Ascension and Saint Edmund community, Father Rex will be leaving us... At the same time, we welcome Father Michael Novick, who will serve as Pastoral Moderator at Ascension and Saint Edmund Parish beginning July 1... All are invited to the beginning summer concert in the courtyard at Saint Giles campus next Friday June 19, at 7:30 PM...

Today’s Feast of Corpus Christ and our last two major liturgical celebrations, The Holy Trinity and Pentecost, have been celebrated at a providential time as our parishes continue the journey of unification and renewal... At Pentecost, the disciples gathered together facing an uncertain future... The Feast of the Holy Trinity, celebrated just last week, reminds us that God’s very nature is communion... That brings us to today’s Feast of Corpus Christi celebrating Christ’s enduring presence among us in the Eucharist...

It is that time of year, GRADUATION! Graduation is more than the completion of a school year or the receiving of a diploma... I especially want to commend the 8th graders of Saint Catherine-Saint Lucy School and Saint Giles School, and Ascension School... While graduation celebrates achievements, it also reminds us that none of us walk alone... There will be moments of excitement and moments of uncertainty ahead. In both, may they trust God walks with them...

Happy Feast of Pentecost... The Ascension was not about Jesus leaving; it is about Christ gathering people into something greater. (This is also what happens at Pentecost.) We must remember the Church was never meant to be built around one building or one way of doing things. The Church, and we are the Church, is built around the Risen Jesus Christ. And when we keep Christ at the center, then we are never truly divided.... We are the Body of Christ... ONE BREAD, ONE CUP, ONE LORD...

Today, the Church celebrates the Ascension of Jesus, reminding us that while Jesus returned to the Father, He did not abandon His disciples. Before ascending, He gave them a mission, a promise, and a hope: “I am with you always.” I want us all to remember those words still guide us as Church today... Today, I encourage us all, in the reality of our new parish unifications, to accept and support how Christ entrusts his mission to us...

Jesus says, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” These are words that are both simple and yet deeply challenging. Love in this sense is not just a feeling or a private devotion; it is something lived, something visible... What does this mean for us today? It means hope is not something we wait for but something we carry... Today we celebrate Mother’s Day and are reminded of one of the clearest reflections of this kind of love...

These past two weekends, our parishes were blessed to celebrate a beautiful sacred milestone as children received their First Holy Communion. I want to offer heartfelt congratulations to each of these young members of our community... First Communion is not a one-time event - it is the beginning of a lifelong relationship with Christ in the Eucharist... We all need to remember the Eucharist is spiritual food for the journey.

Transitions are a part of all our lives. Last week, Father Rex wrote about his moving to a new parish at the end of June... I am grateful for the time he has been part of the Sacramental and Pastoral Team... In recent days, many of us have felt the tension between global leaders. Pope Leo has been quite clear and consistent of late with a message that is not about personalities or politics. It is about the gospel... We must be people who promote peace, even when it is unpopular...

We all know life is busy with entrances and exits. People come, and people go. As many of you might remember, I moved to Oak Park in the summer of 2020 during the COVID pandemic to minister with Father Carl Morello. My time here has gone by fast, but it's time for me to leave Oak Park... During these past six years I have had the privilege of getting to know many of you personally... I thank God for having called me with Father Carl to minister to each and every one of you...

We are the Resurrection - Here and Now. This was the message I tried to convey at the Easter Vigil as well as on Easter Sunday... Here in our Catholic Communities of Oak Park and Neighbors, we find ourselves in a continued time of change... Last Saturday at our one shared Easter Vigil, we witnessed it... That moment was not just a ritual - it was a revelation... The Resurrection is not just something that happened long ago. It is happening here. It is happening now. And it is happening in us...